Menu

Social Icons

Slider

Oh Jan! Congrats on your new baby!

Friday, December 3, 2010•

My friend Jan had her baby in a rather unsual way! I hope this doesn't happen to anyone else I know expecting a baby!!! (You look amazing by the way!!!)

Baby's birth at gas station surprises parents

Baby Paige Bosch, seen with mom Jan McEachern, gave her parents no time to reach the hospital before her birth. (CBC)Paige Taylor Bosch entered the world Wednesday in an unusual way: she was born at a Halifax gas station.

Mother Jan McEachern, who was at full term of her pregnancy, started the day feeling cramps. She decided to go to the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, where she also works, just to be safe.

McEachern and her husband, Kenny Bosch, piled into their Subaru hatchback and got on the road. That's when things sped up.

"About two minutes into the drive, my water broke," McEachern said. "Then another two minutes, her head came out. So he pulled over and called 911."

Bosch pulled into an Esso gas station on Kearny Lake Road to make it easier for the paramedics to find them.

McEachern was sitting in the front seat, and with two child car seats and bags in the back, there was no space to manoeuvre.

As it turns out, there was also no time.

"I could see the baby's head crowning," Bosch said. "I'm talking to the 911 operator, and not 15 seconds later, Paige had jumped out into my arms, and that was it."

McEachern had assumed she'd have plenty of time to make it to the hospital.

"With my first daughter, I pushed for five hours, because she was facing the wrong way," she said. "I had a lot of back pain, and I thought it was going to be the same thing."

Bosch agreed.

"Thought we had hours and hours," he said. "Even when her water broke in the car, we still thought we had plenty of time to make it down here."

Bosch said the ambulance arrived within 10 minutes of his 911 call.

Mom and baby went to the hospital in the ambulance and Bosch followed in the family car as soon as he washed up in the Esso bathroom.

The bewildered couple spent the day telling family and friends about their new bundle of joy.

McEachern had only one piece of advice for pregnant women and their families: "Leave earlier."